Rotary ironer



March 5, 1940. G.'W. DUNHAM ROTARY IRONER Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet .2

'II/IIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIII'II Inventdv GeotgeW Dunham b5" H15 Atbohneg.

March 1940- 5. w. DUNHAM 2, 85

ROTARY 'IRONER Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Invent or George WDunham:

Hls Attorney.

March 5, 1940. w, DUNHAM ROTARY IRONER Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventov George W Dun ham, b 4 7 4 His AGt ovneg PatentedMar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY momm George W. Dunham,Westport, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York The present invention relates to ironing machines of the typein which ironing is effected between a heated shoe and a padded roll.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction andarrangement in ironing machines of this type, and for a consideration ofwhat I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed tothe accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ironerembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the ironer insection along line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is an end elevation in sectionalong line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig.

4 is a top plan view of the ironer housing partly broken away to showthe driving mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation in section along line 5-5 of Fig. 2, the shoebeing shown pressed against the roll; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.5, the shoe 20 being moved away from the roll; Fig. '7 is a fragmentaryview showing the arrangement for supporting the shoe; Fig. 8 is asectional view taken on line 88 of Fig.'7; Fig. 9 is a perspective viewof the bracket connecting the shoe to. the shoe 25 supporting arm; Fig.10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of securing thecover to the shoe; Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the ironer; Fig. 12 isa View showing the shoe moved to a position in which its work contacting330 face can be cleaned; Figs. 13 and 14 are perspective views of thepawl and detent connecting the shoe operating shaft to the mechanism formoving the shoe toward and away from the roll; Fig. 15 is an endelevation in section along line l5-l 5 35 of Fig. 2; Fig. 16 is asectional view on line Iii-l6 of Fig. 15; Fig. 1'7 is a perspective viewof the lever and the parts associated therewith controlling the drivingconnection to the roll; Fig. 18 is an enlarged perspective view 'of thedriving 40 mechanism for the ironer; and Fig. 19 is an elevation of amechanism for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll which may bew substituted for the eccentric and eccentricstrap illustrated in theother figures.

45 Referring to the drawing, the ironer comprises a shoe I and a roll 2whichare carried by a housing 3 containing mechanism for rotating theroll and for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll. The housingis'secured to 50 the top 4 of a suitable table by bolts 4a threaded intolugs 417 on the housing (see Fig. 2).

The shoe comprises an arcuate metal plate 5 which is heated by suitableelectric heating elements (not shown). On the upper surface of 55 theplate are secured studs 6 to which is fastened a shoe cover I. At thecenter of the plate 5 is secured a bracket 8 having arms 9 which are.pivotally connected to an arm Ill by means of a pin II. The armIlL'which serves as the shoe supporting arm, is keyed to a shaft l2.When 5 the shaft I2 is oscillated, the shoe is moved toward and awayfrom the roll. The shaft I2 is journaled in a tube l3 which is fixed ina boss M (Fig. 4) in the side walls of the ironer housing.

The roll comprises a sheet metal cylinder 15 10 having disks l6 and I!at each end secured thereto respectively by means of flanges I8 and I9secured to the inner surface of the cylinder. On the outer surface ofthe cylinder I5 is a pad 28 which is held thereon by means of a padcover 15 2|. The pad cover is held in place by means of snap rings 22which fit in grooves 23 in the flanges l8 and IS. The disk I! is securedto the flange 24 of a sleeve 25 carrying a sleeve bearing 26 whichrotatably supports the roll on a tube 21 fixed in a boss 28 in theironer housing. The disk It is fixed to a sleeve 29 which is keyed to ashaft 30 journaled in the tube 21. The roll is rotated by the shaft 30through the driving connection formed by the sleeve 29 and the disk I6.

The ironer is operated by an electric motor 3| which is resilientlysupported from a plate 32 by means of arms 33 having openings 34 whichare snapped into grooves in rubber bushings 35. The plate 32 is securedto the underside of the table top by the bolts 4a. The compression ofthe rubber bushings, and therefore the resilience of the mounting, isvaried by means of nuts 36 which are threaded on spindles 31 secured tothe plate 32. The motor shaft 38 is slotted to receive a bar 39 whichfits in the slotted end of a shaft 40 and serves as a coupling betweenthe shafts.

The shaft 40 is journaled in a boss 4| which is integral with a web 42extending across the side walls of the ironer housing. The shaft 48 has40 cut therein a worm 43 which meshes with a worm wheel 44 rotatablycarried on the roll driving 'shaft 38. The thrust of the worm shaft 48istaken by a ball 45 which bears against the end of plug 43 threaded inthe top wall of the ironer 45 housing; After adjustment, the plug 48 isprevented from turning by means of a set screw 41.

' Integral with the worm gear 44 is a hug having a pinion 48 cut.therein and having a bearing surface 48 on which is rotatably carriedthe hub 58 0 of internal gear 5|. The internal gear 5| meshes withgears52 which are rotatably carried on stub shafts 53 fixed to an. arm 54which is pinned to the roll driving shaft 30. The gears 52 also meshwith the pinion 48. The pinion 48, the internal 55 gear 5|, the gears 52and the arm 54 comprise an epicyclic or planetary gear train whichprovides a speed reducing driving connection between the continuouslyrotating worm wheel 44 and the roll driving shaft 30. When the rotationof the internal gear 5| is not restrained, the friction in operatingshaft I2.

the bearings of the roll shaft 38 is sufiicient to hold the roll shaftstationary. When the internal gear 5| is held stationary, the planetarygearing provides a speed reducing driving connection to the roll shaft.For holding the internal gear stationary, I have provided a controllever (see Figs. 2 and 17) which is pivoted on a pin 56 carried inbosses 51. The control lever 55 has an arm 58 having a hooked end 580.which is adapted to fit in depressions 59 in a flange 68 on the internalgear 5|. The lever 55 is controlled in a manner which will hereinafterbe described.

The shoe is moved toward and away from the roll by means of an eccentric8| which is rotatably supported on the tube 21 adjacent the side wall ofthe ironer housing. It is important that the eccentric be supportedadjacent the side wall of the ironer housing since the forces exerted bythe eccentric are large. If, for example, the eccentric were supportedon the free or unsupported end of the shaft 30, i. e., on the part wherethe planetary gearing is located, the boss 28 and the tube 21 would haveto be made much more rigid. On the eccentric is an eccentric strap 82which has a ball-and-socket connection with crank arm 64. The arm 84 hasspaced side walls 84a carrying a pin 64b therebetween on which ispivoted thereon a pawl 65. The pawl has a tongue 66 adapted to fit in aslot 61 in a collar 68 keyed to the shoe operating shaft |2. The pawl isbiased into engagement with the slot 81 by means of a spring 89. Whenthe tongue 66 engages the slot 61. the arm 64 is fixed to the shoe 7 Thearm 64 has a socket for a ball 18 which engages the upper end of a shaft1| slidably carried in a boss 12 in the web 42. A suitable packing 13 isprovided in the boss 12 to prevent the leakage of lubricant around theshaft. The shaft 1| is biased upwardly by means of a coil spring 14arranged between a seat 15 on the shaft and a seat 16 on a rod 11 whichis threaded into a nut 18 fixed in the plate 32. The compression of thespring 14 is adjusted by threading the rod into and out of the nut 18, ahandle 19 being provided on the rod for the convenience of the operator.The force of the spring 14 tends to 1 move the shoe toward the rollandthe eccentric der 84.

is therefore used only for moving the shoe away from the roll. Thismanner of operating the shoe provides substantially.uniform pressurebetween the shoe and the roll regardless of variations, in the thicknessof the ironer pad and of the material being ironed. When the shoe ispressed aga'instthe roll, the parts of the ball and socket in thedrawings, the key is held in its inner position by engagement with oneof the ends 85 of a C-shaped trip lever 86. The trip lever is looselymounted on pins 81 fixed in bosses 88 and is resiliently held againstthe faces of the bosses by means of coil springs 89 (see Fig. 16). Theends of the trip lever are moved out of the path of the key 8| by meansof an arm 90 fixed to a shaft 9| journaled in a boss 9 la in the web 42.When the shaft 9| is moved in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.16, the ends 85 of the trip lever 86 are moved toward the roll to aposition out of contact with the key 8|. Thekey BI is then moved outwardby the spring 82 into engagement with one of a plurality of notches 92(Fig. 4) in av flange 93 integral with the continuously driven wormwheel 44, thereby completing a driving connection between the worm wheeland the eccentric. Once the driving connection is completed, the triplever 88 is allowed to be returned to its normal position by the springs89. The shaft 9| is returned to its normal position by a coil spring-9|b which tends to turn the shaft in a counter.-

clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 16. The rotation of the eccentriccontinues through 180 until the key 8| comes in contact with the otherend 85 of the trip lever. This end moves the key inward and breaks thedriving connection to the flange 80 so that it is not necessary toprovide a rigid support for the spring.

The trip lever 86 is so arranged that at the en of each 180 movement ofthe eccentric, the eccentric occupies either the position shown in Fig.5 in which the shoe is pressed against the roll or the position shown inFig. 6 in which the shoe is moved away from the roll. Any tendency toovertravel of the eccentric is prevented by the friction between. theeccentric and the tube 21,

which friction is further increased by a coil spring carried in acircular opening in the eccentric and bearing on the tube 21. The spring94 urges a ball 95a. outward and when the eccentric is in thepositionsshown in Figs. 5 and 6, the ball fits in 'one of the notches 98in theeccentric strap. The spring pressed ball 95:; serves as a detentfor molding the eccentric strap in proper relation to the eccentric.

When the ironer is used for continuous ironing, it is desirable that therotation of the roll be started and stopped in accordance with theposition of the shoe. That is, the roll should be stationary when theshoe is away from the roll and the roll should rotate when the shoe ispressed against the roll. This is effected by means of a cam 91 (seeFig. 1'1), integral with the eccentric 7 8|, which engages an arm 98 onthe control lever 55. The arm 98 is held against the cam 91 by means ofa coil spring 99 arranged between a boss I90 (Fig. 3) in the ironerhousing and a seat |8| in the upper side of the arm. The shape of thecam 91 is such that the hooked end 58a of the arm 58 is moved intoengagement with one of the notches 59 when the shoe is pressed againstthe roll and is moved out of engagement with the notch when the shoe ismoved away from the roll. The rotation of the roll, which is startedupon engagement of the hooked end 58a with one of the notches 59, startssomewhat before the development of the full pressure between the rolland the shoe. This reduces the starting load on the roll drivingmechanism.

When the ironer is used for pressing it is desirable that the rollremain stationary when the shoe is pressed against the roll. This iseffected by 7 means of a hand lever I02 (see Fig. 4) fixed on a shaftI03 journaled in the front wall of the ironer housing. On the inner endof the shaft I03 is fixed a lever I04 (Fig. 1'7) which when moved to avertical position lifts the arm 98 to a position where the hooked end58a of arm 58 is clear of the notches 59. As long as the lever I04 isheld in this position the roll remains stationary. The lever I02 is heldstationary with reference to the ironer housing by means of a springpressed ball detent I02a.

The ironer is controlled by means of a lever or knee pad I05 which isfixed to a shaft I06 by means of a set screw I0'I (Fig. 15). The shaftI06 is slidably carried in brackets I08 on the underside of the tabletop. The righthand end of the shaft, as viewed in Fig. 4, bears againstan arm I09 fixed on the shaft 9|. Movement of the lever I05 to the rightcauses the shaft 9| to be turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFig. 16, thereby moving the ends of the trip lever 86 clear of the key8| so that the spring 82 can move the key into one of the slots 92 tocomplete a driving connection to the eccentric. As soon as the drivingconnection is completed, which requires only a very short interval dueto the large number of slots 92 and the relatively high speed ofrotation of the worm wheel 44, the lever I05 is released and the shaft9| is returned to its normal position by means of the springs 89 actingon the trip lever 86 and the coil spring 9Ib turning the shaft 9|. Whenthe eccentric is rotated through the key is moved out of the slot 92 byengagement with one of the ends 85 of the trip lever 86 as describedabove.

The movement of the shoe toward and away from the roll may also becontrolled by means of the lever I02. When the lever I02 is moved to avertical position projecting upward from. the shaft I03, a movement ofthe upper end of\ the lever toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1 willcause the cam lever I04 to engage the center of the trip lever 86 andmove it toward the right as viewed in Fig. 4. This causes the ends 85 ofthe trip lever to be moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 4 to a positionin which they are clear of the key 8|. The key 8| is then movedoutwardly into one of the notches 92 under the action of the spring 82to complete a driving. connection from the worm gear 44 to the eccentric6|. As soon as this driving connection is completed the lever I02 may bereleased and it will be returned to the verticalposition by means of thecoil spring 89 which tends to return-the trip lever 86 to the positionshown in Fig. 4.

Similarly, when the lever I02 is turned to the pressing position, i. e.,the position in which it projects downwardly from the shaft I03, it canlikewise be used to control the driving connection to the eccentric.When .in this position movement of the lower end of the lever I02 to theleft as viewed in Fig. 1 causes the lever I04 to engage the trip lever86 and move it to a position permitting the key 8| to move outward intoone ofthe slots 92 and complete a driving connection from the worm gear44 to the eccentric. Upon release of the lever I02, after completion ofthe driving connection, it will be returned to the vertical position bymeans of the springs 89 acting on the trip lever 86.

The lever I05 is also used to effect the release of the pressurebetweenthe roll and the shoe in case of failure of the power supply. This iseffected by means of a downward movement of the'lever which causes theshaft I06 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5.The shaft I06 has a lever ||0 fixed thereto which bears against thelower end of a rod III slidably carried in the plate 32. and the web 42.

' The rod III is biased downward to the position shown in Fig. 5 bymeans of a coil spring II2. A was-her 3 which engages the upper side ofthe table top serves as a stop which limits the downward movement of therod. When the shaft I06 is moved in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in Fig. 5, the rod III is moved upward, its upper end strikingthe pawl 65 and moving the tongue 66 out of the notch 61. The shoe willthen move away from the roll due to the energy stored by the flexing ofthe shoe and roll supporting parts. The rearward movement of the shoewill stopwhen a spring-pressed detent ||4 carried in the. web 42 engagesa notch H5 in the collar 68. In this position the tongue 66 is adjacenta shoulder II6 on the collar 68. The eccentric, eccentric strap, and thearm 64 remain stationary during this movement.

Upon movement of the control lever I05 to the right, as viewed in Fig.1, the eccentric is turned I80 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to theposition shown in Fig. 6. During this movement the detent I I4 holds thecollar 68 stationary and the eccentric moves the arm 64 to the positionshown in Fig. 6. When the. arm' 64 reaches this position the tongue 66is moved into the slot 61 by thelspring 69, thus re-establishing theconnection between the shoe operating shaft and. the eccentric.

The same mechanism which serves as an emergency .release, also serves topermit the movement of the shoe to a position in which the workcontacting face of the shoe can be cleaned.

the completion of the cleaning of the shoe, the I I driving connectionbetween the shoe and the eccentric can be automatically reestablished byoperating the control lever I05 to cause the turning of the eccentric.At the start, the eccentric is in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 12.Upon turning of the eccentric through 180, the tongue 66' co-operateswith the shoulder M6 to move the collar 68 to the'position' shown inFig. 6, where it is held by the detent H4. The shoe operating shaft isnow in the position shown in Fig. 6, and the eccentric, the eccentricstrap, and the arm 64 are in the position shown in Fig. 5. During thenext 180 movement of the eccentric the collar 68 is held stationary bythe detent H4 and the arm 64 is moved from the'position shown in Fig. 5to the position shown in Fig. 6, in which position the tongue 66 ismoved into the notch 61 by the spring 69. It is, therefore, apparentthat upon release of the connection between the eccentric and the shoethe connection is automatically re-established by successive operationof the eccentric.

In the use of the ironer, the material to be ironed is first arranged onthe roll, the roll being stationary and the shoe away from the roll. Theknee pad I05 is then moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, therebymoving the shaft I against the arm I09 and turning the shaft 9| in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 16. The arm 90 which is fixed tothe shaft 9| engages the trip lever 86 and pivots it about the studs 81until the ends thereof are clear of the key 8|. The key is then movedoutward by the spring 82 into one'of the slots 92 in the worm wheel 44,completing a driving connection from the worm wheel to the eccentric. Assoon as this driving connection is completed, the knee pad is releasedand is returned to its normal position by the springs 09 acting on thetrip lever 86 and by the coil spring 9Ib acting on the shaft 9|. Thedriving connection to the eccentric remains completed until theeccentric has turned through 180 degrees at which time the key 8| ismoved out of the slot 92 by engagement with one of the ends 85 of thetrip lever. After being moved out of the slot 92, the key is movedfurther inward by engagement with the C-shaped spring 94. This preventsany clicking of the key against the edges of the slots 92.

The 180 degree rotation of the eccentric moves the eccentric from theposition shown in Fig. 6 in which the shoe is separated from the roll tothe position shown in Fig. 5, in which the shoe is pressed against theroll. The pressure between. the shoe and the roll is developed by thespring 14, which acts through the rod II and the bracket 64 to turn theshoe supporting shaft I2 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed inFig. 5. When the shoe is pressed against the roll, the parts of the balland socket joint 63 are separated, the amount of separation dependingupon the thickness of the pad and the thickness of the material beingironed.

When the eccentric is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the cam surface91 which is integral with the eccentric occupies'the position shown inFig. '7. In this position the control lever 55 is moved to the.positionillustrated in which the hooked end 5811: of the arm 58 is moved intoone of the depressions 59 in the flange 60 on the internal gear 'I. Thisholds the internal gear 5| stationary so that a driving connection iscompleted to the roll driving shaft 30 from the worm wheel 44 throughthe planetary gearing which comprises the pinion &8, the internal gearSI and the gears 52. The shape of the cam 91 is such that the drivingconnectiorrto 131161011 is completed before full ironing pressure isbuilt up between the roll and the shoe. When the roll is rotating, theironer is adapted for ironing flat work which is fed under the shoe bythe rotation of the roll.

Under some circumstances it is desirable that the roll remainstationary. This is effected by turning the lever I02 in a clockwisedirection from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position in which itprojects vertically downward. This causes the lever I04 to be moved in aclockwise direction to a position extending upward from the shaft I03.In this position, the upper end of the lever I04 engages the arm 98 ofthe lever 55 and holds it in a position in which the hooked end 50a isclear of the depression 59. While in this position,

the roll remains stationary due to the fact that v moving the knee padI05 to the right as viewed in Fig. 1. This causes the eccentric to beturned through another 180 degrees in the manner de-' scribed above.During this movement the eccentrio strap 62 acts through the ball andsocket joint 63 to move the shoe from the position shown in Fig. 5 tothe position shown in Fig. 6. During this movement, the spring 14 iscompressed. When the eccentric is in this position the cam 91 has turned180 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 17 and has lifted the hookedend 58a clear of the depression 59, thus breaking the driving connectionto the roll. The roll therefore remains stationary when the shoe ismoved away from the roll and material to be ironed can be convenientlyarranged on the roll.

In Fig. 19 is shown an alternative arrangement for moving the shoetoward and away from the roll. In this construction, the eccentric 0| isreplaced by a gear II! which is driven in the same manner as theeccentric. The gear I I I is integral with the casting which includesthe cam 91, the flange 80-, and the slots carrying the driving key 8|.As in the previous construction, it is rotatably mounted on the boss 21.The gear II'I meshes with a gear I I8 which is rotatably carried on astub shaft II9 fixed in the side walls of the ironer housing. Integralwith the gear H8 is a cam I20 which co-cperates with an arm I 2I fixedto the shoe operating shaft I2. The arm I2I is held against the cam I 20by a spring I22 arranged between a cup I23 in the ironer housing and aseat I24 on the arm -I 2I. When the parts are in the positionillustrated, the shoe is pressed against the roll. When the gears II!and H8 have been turned 180 degrees from the position illustrated, theshoe is moved away from the roll. The cam I20 is provided with fiatsurfaces I25 which engage the flat surface I26 on the arm I2I in thesepositions. The flat surface on the long radius of the cam shown in Fig.19 acts as a detent, prevents over-travel, and also positions the camwhen spring I22 is compressed and consequently exerting its greatestforce. This is desirable, for in this construction the friction isgreatly reduced, and if 'without the fiat, the cam did notstop atexactly the right position, the spring load might cause cam I 20 tocoast forward or backward, depending on which side of the center itstopped.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

In an ironer of the type having a roll, a shoe, power means foreffecting engagement and separation of the roll and the shoe, and meansindependent of said first means for releasing the pressure between theroll and the shoe, a shaft mounted for sliding and rotating movement, alever for selectively sliding and rotating the shaft,

and connections between said-shaft and both of i said means wherebyoperation of one .of said means is efiected by sliding movement of theshaft and operation of the other of said means is effected by rotationof said shaft.

In an ironer of the type having a roll, a shoe, power means foreffecting engagement and separation of the roll and the shoe, and meansmeans whereby operation of one of said means is effected by movement ofthe lever in one plane and operation of the other of said means isefplane. I

In an ironer of the type having a roll, a shoe, power means foreffecting engagement and separation of the roll and the shoe, and meansindependent of said first means for releasing the pressure between theroll and the shoe, a control lever for selectively effecting operationof each of said means.

' 4. In an ironer of the type having a roll, a'shoe, power means foreffecting engagement and separation of the roll and the shoe, and meansindependent of said first means for releasing the pressure between theroll and the shoe, a control lever 5. In an ironer, a tube, a rollrotatably support-ed on the tube, a shaft extending through the tube forrotating the roll, a shoe, means including eccentric means for movingthe shoe to- Ward and away from the roll, and reduction gearing forrotating the roll and operating said eccentric means, said gearing andeccentric means surrounding said shaft.

6. In an ironer, aframe having a tubular sleeve, a roll rotatablysupported on the sleeve, a shaft extending through the sleeve forrotating the roll, a shoe, eccentric means mounted on the sleeve, meansincluding said eccentric means for moving the shoe toward and away fromthe roll, and reduction gearing for rotating the shaft and the eccentricmeans, said reduction gearing being mounted on said shaft.

'7. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, a gear, means including eccentricmeans connectable to said gear for effecting relative movement of theroll and the shoe toward and away from each other, a shaft for rotatingthe roll extending through said gear and said eccentric means, andepicyclic gearing mounted on said shaft for effecting a drivingconnection from said gear to said shaft.

8. Inan ironer, a casing, a tube extending from a wall of said casing, aroll rotatably supported on said tube, a shaft extending through thetube for rotating the roll, eccentric means surrounding said tubeadjacent said wall, reduction gearing concentric with and surroundingsaid shaft for rotating said shaft and said eccentric means, a shoe, andmeans including said eccentric means for moving said shoe toward andaway from the roll.

9. In an ironer, a casing, a tube carried by a wall of said casing andhaving an unsupported end within the casing, a roll rotatably supportedon said tube, eccentric means rotatably supported on said tube adjacentsaid wall, a shoe, means for effecting movement of the shoe toward andaway from the roll including means operated by rotation of saideccentric means, and means for rotating the eccentric means.

10. In an ironer, a casing, a tube carried by a wall of the casing, aroll rotatably supported on the tube, a shaft extending through the tubefor rotating the roll, said. shaft having an unsupported end within saidcasing, reduction gearing on said unsupported end for rotating saidshaft, eccentric means within said casing between said gearing and saidwall, said eccentric means surrounding said shaft, a shoe, and meansincluding connections between said shoe and said eccentric means to movethe shoe toward and away from the roll.

11. In an ironer, a casing, a tube carried by a wall of the casing, aroll rotatably supported on the tube, a shaft extending through the tubefor rotating the roll, said ,shaft having a freeend within said casing,gearing for rotating the shaft comprising a common drive gear andepicyclic gearing driven thereby and having a connection with the shaft,a shoe, eccentric means, means for effecting movement of the shoe towardand away from the roll including means operated by rotation of saideccentric means, and clutch means between said common drive gear and theeccentric means for selectively rotating the eccentric means, saideccentric means being arranged between said gearing and said wall, andsaid eccentric means and said gearing all surrounding said shaft.

12. In an ironer, a casing, a roll, a shoe, a roll driving shaftjournaled in the casing having a driving connection to the roll andhaving a free end within the casing, eccentric means, means foreffecting movement of the shoe toward and away from the roll includingmeans operated by rotation of said eccentric means, reduction gearingfor rotating the roll, and clutch means between said gearing and thecocentric 'means for selectively rotating the eccentric means, saideccentric means and said gearing surrounding the free end of said shaft.

13. In an iro'ner, a roll, a shoe, a shaft for rotating the roll, acommon drive gear loose on said shaft, epicyclic gearing carried on saidshaft, said epicyclic gearing having a part driven by said gear, a partconnected to said shaft, and an intermediate part, means includingeccentric means connectable to said gear for effecting relative movementof the roll and the shoe toward and away from each other, and meanscontrolled by said eccentric means for holding said intermediate part ofthe epicyclic gear stationary wherebya driving connection is effected tothe shaft.

14. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, a casing, a shaft carried by a wall ofsaid casing and having a driving connection to the roll, said shafthaving an unsupported end within the casing, reduction gearing on saidunsupported end for rotating said shaft, eccentric means between saidgearing and said wall, said eccentric means rotatably surrounding saidshaft, and means for tive movement of the roll and .the shoe toward andaway from each other including means operated by rotation of saideccentric means, and clutch means between said common drive gear andsaid eccentric means.

16. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, a shaft for rotating the roll,epicyclic gearing for rotating the shaft, and means including arotatable member having connections with the shoe for effecting movementof the shoe toward and away from effecting relative movement of the rolland the the roll, said rotatable member and said gearing being spacedapart along and surrounding said sh 17. In an ironer, a roll,'a shoe, ashaft for rotating the'roll, a. common drive gear, epicyclic gearing forrotating the shaft, a rotatable member connectable to said gear, andmeans operable by rotation of said member for eflecting movement of theshoe toward and away from the roll, said common drive gear, epicyclicgearing and member being spaced apart along and surrounding said shaft.

18. In an ironer of the type having a roll, a shoe} and means forrotating the roll and for effecting relative movement of the roll andshoe toward and away from each other, a personally operablecontrol meansfor controlling the relative movement of the roll and shoe, controlmeans for stopping and starting the rotation of the roll in accordancewith the relative position of the roll and shoe, a manually operablelever movable to stable positions rendering said roll control meansrespectively effective and ineffective, and means operable by said leverwhile in said stable positions for operating said first control means tocause relative movement of the roll and shoe.

19. In an ironer of the type having a roll, a shoe, means forrotatingthe roll, and means including a personally operable control forefiecting relative movement of the roll and shoe toward and away fromeach other.

20. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, means including an oscillatable shaftfor moving the shoe toward and away from the roll upon oscillation ofthe shaft, power means for rotating the roll, a crank, mechanismconnectable to said power means for oscillating saidcrank, means forestablishing a connection between the crank and the shaft foroscillating the shaft to move the shoe toward and away from the rollupon oscillation of the crank,

said connecting means beingbreakable to permit permits the shaft toremain stationary while the gearing is driven, a breakableconnectionbetween said gear and eccentric for rotating the eccentric,

and a lever having a part responsive to the posi-v tion of the eccentricfor releasing or holding stationary said rotatable part of the gearingin accordance with the position of the eccentric.

22. In an ironer, cooperating ironing members including a roll, meansincluding a rotatable member for effecting relative movement of theironing members toward and away from each other, a roll driving shaft, adriving gear, epicyclic gearing for rotating said shaft, said rotatablemember, said gear, and said epicyclic gearing all spaced apart along andsurrounding said shaft, said epicyclic gearing having a rotatable partwhich when held stationary establishes a driving connection to the shaftthrough the gear ing and which when released permits the shaft to remainstationary while the gearing is driven, a breakable connection betweensaid gear and said rotatable member, and a lever having a. partresponsive to the position of said rotatable member for releasing orholding stationary said rotatable part of the epicyclic gearing inaccordance with the position of said rotatable member.

GEORGE W. DUNHAM.

